Automatic lift stop for gramophones



May 13 1924. 1,494,100

T. COWBURN AUTOMATIC LIFT STOP FOR GRAMOPHONES Filed Dec. 19 1923 M'MMWW.

Patented May 13, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS COWIBURN, DE CHURCHDONN, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC LIFT STOP FOR GRAMOPHONES.

Application filed December 19, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS COWBURN, a British subject, residing at Apsley House, Churchdown, in the county of Gloucester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lift Stops for Gramophones, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in automatic lift stops for gramophones, and its main object is to provide a simple combined stop and needle lifter applicable to any ordinary gramophone or disc talking machine without having to pro vide the tone arm or sound box with any special fitting or to alter the machine in any way. All the known devices of the kind in question comprise, so far as I am aware, a special fitting mounted on the tone arm or sound box.

In accordance with my invention a shoe or skid arranged above the record disc in frictional engagement with the turntable or its pin so that it rotates normally with the saidturntable and disc is adapted to intercept the needle and raise it clear of the record by interposing itself between the needle and the record disc, and to form a yielding abutment for the needle when it has been thus raised so that the aforesaid frictional engagement is utilized to bring the turntable gradually to a standstill.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a turntable with a record disc and a simple form of shoe or skid for raising the needle and stopping the turntable mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is apartial plan view of same;

Figs. 3 and 4 show details hereinafter referred to; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the sound boX on the end of the tone arm, showing the needle bearing upon the record disc, the shoe or skid being seen also in end elevation below the sound box.

Referring to the drawing: A is a skid or shoe forming part of or attached to an adjustable arm B which is carried by a hub G Serial No. 681,658.

provided with a split sleeve D adapted to be engaged frictionally with the turntable pin E after a record F has been placed on the turntable G.

The arm B, as shown, is formed from a strip of spring steel or the like and mounted slidably in a slot 0 in the hub C (shown separately in Fig. 3). The rear end portion of the said strip is bent upon itself as shown in Fig. 4 so that when it is inserted into the slot 0 it is held frictionally in any desired'position. The front end portion is shaped to form the shoe A. This arm B is adjusted in the slot 0 so that the point a of the shoe engages the needle H on its outer side and guides it on to the shoe at the predetermined point where it is desired to raise the needle, the needle then riding on the shoe until it comes into contact with the raised heel or back part J of the shoe, which is preferably cushioned with rubber or the like and constitutes a yielding abutment for the needle owing to the frictional engagement between the hub sleeve D and the turntable pin 13. The turntable is thus brought to a standstill more or less gradually, according to the degree of friction between the said sleeve and pin, which friction may be regulated by means of a screw d or otherwise. The arm B may with advantage have a certain amount of spring so that it yields a little when. the shoe is arrested by the needle.

I claim 1. A combined automatic gramophone stop and needle lift-er, comprising a shoe mounted above the record disc in frictional engagement with the turntable so that it rotates normally with the said disc. the said shoe being adapted to intercept the needle and raise it clear of the record by interpos ing itself between the needle and the record disc and to form a yielding abutment for the needle when it has been so raised.

2. A gramophone attachment for automatically raising the needle from the record and stopping the machine, consisting of a hub adapted to be engaged frictionally with the turntable pin, an arm carried by the said hub so that when the hub has been so engaged after a record disc has been placed intercept the needle at any desired point of on the turntable, it projects radially above the record. 1 the said disc, and a shoe carried by the said 4-. A gramophone attachment as specified arm and adapted to intercept and engage in claim 2, in which the shoe is provided 5 under and form an abutment for the needle. With a rubber or like cushion to receive the 3. A gramophone attachment as specified impact of the needle.

in claim 2, in which the shoe is adjustable radially of the record disc to enable it to THOMAS COVVBURN. 

